


He Chose Chains

by Of_Quirky_Excellence



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Hurt/Eventual Comfort, I’m so sorry, Jowan in DA2, Probably lots of OCs - Freeform, Saving Jowan, but lots of suffering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:09:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27663853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Of_Quirky_Excellence/pseuds/Of_Quirky_Excellence
Summary: Amell may have betrayed Jowan to Irving as a power move to stay on the Chantry’s good side- but when the mission to save Redcliffe and everyone in it took an interesting turn, killing the man who stopped the demon didn’t seem right. Especially given the history between the two former apprentices.Which leads to the eternal question- what do we do with Jowan?Jowan goes back to the Circle-with a twist.
Kudos: 1





	1. Maleficar’s Choice

Few things frightened Jowan more than being returned to the Circle Tower, but Amell, despite his best efforts, could not spare him the Guerrin family’s sentencing. But...Amell did what he thought was the only thing that  **_might_ ** save Jowan’s life, despite the fact that if Jowan had to spend even one more day in kinloch Hold, he would want to set the place ablaze at the first opportunity.

He never even got that chance, or a chance to cast any spell after he awoke from the Fade though. His life was spared on the condition that he would be returned to the chantry’s custody upon the Warden’s return to the castle. True to their word, the Templars did not run a sword through the apostate’s chest on sight, but that  _ did  _ beg the question-just what should they do with him??

The answer was unclear even to Irving. Making him Tranquil was the most...obvious choice. But Jowan had defeated a demon in the Fade in single combat-which technically matched the accomplishment of a Harrowed Mage. That would make the Rite of Tranquility an unjust and illegal move. And Irving knew Amell well enough that if he found out his former friend was branded, Jowan would die anyway. A mercy killing by Amell’s hand was still a promise broken.

So while the good folk of the Chantry bitched and bickered over what to do with Jowan he awaited sentencing in the dungeon at Kinloch Hold, no one visited him save for the Templars who so graciously offered him stale bread. Not eating was better than giving Templars the impression he was vulnerable. Maybe Jowan would even be stubborn enough to die. Amell has claimed to care for him but at the end of the day, the man had betrayed him to the First Enchanter and  _ then  _ attempted to get him a stay of execution?

Amell was even odder than Jowan had ever realized.

Ohhh what a cruel game the system played with weak mages. It was the only reason Jowan was locked up, probably forever. He was believed to be weak. A weak mage wouldn’t save a child’s life, now would he? He was only a smidgen bitter. At least no one was beating or torturing him like Isolde had. He’d expected more cruelty in that regard.

But what he hadn’t been expecting was his sentence to be a transfer. To Kirkwall’s Circle. The gallows. Ultimately it was his choice. The gallows or tranquility. (He guesses a Harrowed mage could be made tranquil as long as it was “voluntary.”This was such a no brainer, as soon as he was given the chance to speak Jowan had already made his choice.

“I choose the Gallows.” He said, in a voice he almost didn’t recognize as his own. There was determination in his tone. A sense of stubbornness too. He refused to let anyone know how terrifying this turn of events was for him. At least he’d never hear from Amell again, though, right?

“You are braver than you look, my boy. Very well. The Templars shall arrange transport -but I must warn you, and offer you one last chance to change your mind...you will be sent to the Gallows upon the condition that you will remain in their dungeon for six months. More if they deem it necessary.”

Jowan gulped at Irving’s words. But he stood fast, forgetting the ever present Templars who held his arms despite the fact that his hands were bound in heavy chains.

“Pass me from your dungeon to theirs then.  _ Fine _ . I wanted to prove to you and yours that I’m not weak or evil-I’m well on my way to doing that. Send me to the City of Chains. At least tell Amell to never contact me or visit me.” Jowan’s words were bitter and just too soft to be angry.

One of the Templars sighed loudly and Greagoir nodded to his escorts. 

“You will need to learn to curb your tongue there, Jowan.” Irving pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away.

“Goodbye to you too, Irving. You know, I regret a lot of things, but I will never feel bad telling you that you bow to the Chantry’s every whim.” With that Jowan was led away, and he didn’t struggle.


	2. The Gallows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is hella short sorry, but more to come!

The journey through the Blighted land was long and slightly terrifying for Jowan but the Templars did a good job keeping their group safe from darkspawn at least. The wagon was harsh in its movement and the cage in the bed of the wagon held Jowan for most of the journey, but he spoke to none of the escorts. It didn’t matter, they wouldn’t listen to him and he imagined if he talked too much, even just to himself, they’d gag him. So he didn’t bother. It was several days before they reached the sea. He enjoyed breathing in a few desperate breaths of fresh sea air before they cut him, poured magebane in the wound and threw him, hands still chained tightly, into the brig.

The ship was creaky and Jowan was at least allowed better food on this journey. But he usually threw most of it up if the sea was unsettled. Once in a while, before the cut on his arm healed he would be re-dosed with magebane. That stuff put a huge damper on the former apprentice’s spirits and it made him ill most of the time. By the end of the journey he was so happy to be off that ship he could sing. But the Templars would likely gag him and/or beat him for that. Spoilsports. His journey ended when the gates of the Gallows closed ominously behind him and the small army of Templars they’d sent with him dissipated into just four or five. Two Gallows Templars met them at the doors to the inner quarters.

“Do the knight commander and First Enchanter wish an audience with this new mage before he is taken to the dungeons?”Jowan’s leading escort asked.

“That will not be necessary Ser Knight. We will take him from you. This is the Ferelden apostate we were expecting, with a history of dabbling in blood magic?”

“The Redcliffe one, yes. He’s been real quiet on the trip here. Might be a good idea to keep him isolated from the other mages until you know he isn’t planning anything.” His escort replied nonchalantly.

“Quiet, eh? We can change that. Knight Commander has ordered a flogging for him on arrival, regardless. We agree that a problem mage must be made an example of? Don’t we?”

He felt all eyes turn to him. He was terrified and now the Templars could probably see it in his eyes. His face went ghostly pale.

His escort nudged him roughly. “I agree with that, but I believe that question was directed at you, lad. Answer when spoken to.”

“Sorry. Irving told me to curb my tongue.” Jowan replied with a solid frown about his normally gentle features.

The Templars laughed and then one of them kicked the back of his calves, putting him on his knees.

“You insolent little bastard. You will learn to respect those above you. Now I think that flogging is long overdue?” The Templar in charge of the Kirkwall group asked.

“Want someone to gag him, Ser Karras?” Another Kirkwall Templar asked.

“No, let the boy scream.”


	3. Making An Example

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I swear, I really really love Jowan. I promise you I do.

Jowan was struggling against the men holding his arms now. Not begging or pleading, just scared and stubborn. He was dragged to a metal stake cemented into the ground. His hand bindings were fastened into place with it and then someone unsheathed a knife.

Jowan’s heart was racing. The urge to scream now was there, but he resisted with everything he had.

He didn’t handle pain well even when he’d used blood magic. His shirt was cut off and then he heard whoever held the whip give it a test crack.

Then he was blindfolded. Jowan panicked. No one knew how afraid of the dark he was except Amell ... he pulled at his restraints uselessly.

“All right. Let’s get this done.” Someone said.

“Yeah Karras, stop making it into a show. Bad enough you gotta punish the kid.” A younger female voice retorted.

“Silence. Anyone who objects to this maleficar’s treatment gets the same as him. Including you, Recruit Shannon.”

He heard a loud sigh after that and he reminded himself to pray Recruit Shannon never became like Ser Karras. One less horrible inhumane templar in this terrible place. Why hadn’t he chosen Tranquility again? Oh yes. Not giving Templars and First Enchanters what they wanted. Speaking of which-

-CRACCK-

Jowan didn’t make a sound.

-CRACK-

-CRACK-

He was screaming by the fourteenth lash and when it was over, or he at least thought it was over, cold water was poured on his head to revive him so Ser Karras could continue to beat him.

He could scarcely make out the noises made by bystanders. A few gasps here and there as he writhed against his bonds, but no one dared say a word. He thought he heard a child start to sob but they were quickly shushed to silence by someone else, an older mage he assumed. Everyone was watching him suffer. And no one did a thing to stop it.

Because they all suffered the same fate at the hands of the chantry. They were pawns in a deadly chess game, even the Templars and low ranking members of the clergy.


End file.
